Feb. 15, 2008
AUSTIN, Texas - Taking on two nationally-ranked teams, the Penn State University softball team (0-2) came up short at the Times Warner Cable Texas Invitational. In game one, the Nittany Lions took the #24 Longhorns of the University of Texas all the way to the 10th inning before falling 1-0 following the implementation of the international tie breaking procedure. In game two, PSU fell to #17 California State University-Fullerton 8-0 in a rain-delayed five-inning game.
The Nittany Lions gave the Longhorns all they could handle including loading the bases in the bottom of the 10th down by one. Unfortunately PSU was unable to score and fell to the Longhorns in both teams tournament opener. Senior Ashley Esparza (San Pedro, Calif./San Pedro) pitched all 10 innings while striking out 12 and giving up only three hits.
Junior Kayce Zielinski (Arlington, Texas/Kennedale) and senior Hollee Haines (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King) led the team at the plate over both games with each of them going 2-of-6. Senior Jen Acunto also had two hits going 2-of-7 with a double for PSU's only extra base hit.
Redshirt freshman Jackie Hill (San Jose, Calif./Leigh) picked up the second game's loss going 3.1 innings while fanning two. Senior Jenn Reynolds pitched the remaining 1.1 innings strikeing out one while giving up two hits.
The Nittany Lions will look to get back on track tomorrow taking on the University of Michigan at 12:00 p.m. The forecast for tomorrow in Austin, Texas calls for a 90 percent chance of thunderstorms which could hinder the team's ability to play the games as scheduled.